Self Stabilising Track

ABSTRACT
India is having the second largest network of railway in the world. It is the most
likely transportation medium compare to other, therefore important of railway is
increasing day by day, because of which the responsibility of this sector is more compare
to other. The responsibility comprises of convenience, comfort and safety, therefore the
proper attention should be given to these aspects.
The traditional technique and method of construction are not enough to avoid the
problem like severe accident due to derailment, rail-failure, vibration and shocks from
rail-wheel coaches-passengers.
One new technique brought forward by konkan railway corporation to minimize
the above mention problem to some extent, that new technique is call self-stabilizing
track (S. S. T.).

Govt. Poly. Amravati.

Self Stabilising Track

INTRODUCTION
In the technique of SST the basic focus is given on the foundation where in the
ballast which was to be use below sleeper traditionally is pre-compacted and firmly
comfort wire mesh cage of specific shape arrange in a particular manner, combined with
each other to provide vertical support to the sleeper as well as improve later resistance to
the track where it is possible to make the response of track under running train to stabilize
the track rather than be de-stabilizing the track which was resulting to severe accidents.

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Self Stabilising Track

HISTORY OF RAILWAY
In accident times Romans were first to try in the running of animal-drawn
vehicles over two parallel lines of stone and bricks embedded in the ground. In the 15 th
century wooden planks and beams were used in place of stone in Europe and England
and such type of roads were known as tramways. Good speeds were obtain on such
tramways by horse-drawn vehicles. But such wooden rails had short life because they
wore out quickly and caused many difficulties. To increase the life of wooden rails, these
were covered with iron plates and such covered plates were known as pathways. After
some time a new idea, for preventing the lateral movement of wheels by using angle irons
in place of plane iron sheets development of the modern railways. Later on these angel
irons replaced by cast iron rails with raised flanges on outer side, because those raised
flanged were more useful in preventing the lateral movement of vehicles.
When it was observed that the animals can draw the vehicles on C.I.rails at good
speed than on roads, the people of the 17th century started thinking about some
mechanical device which could replace the animals. It is understood that in France
Nicholas Cugnot was first to get success in 1771, in the construction of a steam
locomotive. In Britain in 111786 William Murdock, a Scotsman, also get success in the
preparation of steam locomotive model. In 1797 a Cirnish Engineer Trevithick also did a
lot of work on steam locomotive and got success in 1804 in the design and construction
of a steam locomotive. In this way history tells us that a number of engineers tried to
build a locomotive in the early days, but actually George Stephenson (1781-1848) was
the first man to get complete success in this field.
George Stephenson completely designed, planned, construction and got success in
the running the first train of the world on 27 th September 1825 in England between
Stockton and Darlington in the country of Durham.
After this the development of railway was started rapidly in all the parts of the
world.
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Self Stabilising Track

DEVELOPMENT OF RAILWAYS IN INDIA

Before the introduction of railways the communication means in India were
extremely poor in ninetieth century. Actually it was only Lord Dalhousie, who insisted
for the development of railway in India. Mr. M. Stephenson to east India Company put up
the first proposal for the construction off railways in 1844. East India Company
undertook the construction of experiment line from Calcutta to Mirzapur in 1849.
Similarly another contract to construct a railway line from Bombay to Kalyan was given
was given in 1850 to India Peninsula railway.
The first train in India was run at 3.30 p. m. on 16 th April 1853 between Bombay
and thane. It carried about 400 people in 14 coaches and was driven by three engines.

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Self Stabilising Track

COMPONENT OF PERMANENT WAY

1)

BALLAST: The ballast is the crushed stone made up of hard kind of granite, quartz, basalt,

sand, stone and lime with an ultimate crushing strength of at least 700Kg/cm2. the stone
and lime stone with an ultimate crushing strength of the railway and therefore upon the
traffic intensity, the quality of ballast as well ass upon the soil used for the formation.
According to difficulty of working them, the difficult kind of ballast are classified as
soft(sand), medium(gravel and shell) and heavy(crushed stone and ballast France slag).
Following material are used as ballast
Quartz sand with grains ranging from 0.1to 3mm, graded gravel with fraction
from 3to 60in size, hard kind of crushed stone from 25to 70 mm in size, acidic
metallurgical slag with a fine crystalloid, compact structure in formation from 25ro 70
mm (normal) or 7to 25mm(fine),as well as whole or broken sea shells with fraction from
0.5mm or made in size amounting to least 50% of the total weight.

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Self Stabilising Track

Function of ballast
1) To uniformly distribute the load from sleepers over a large area of formation.
2) To hold the sleeper in position by acting as their foundation and preventing their
lateral and longitudinal movement.
3) To provide elasticity and resilience it the track.
4) To provide an easy method for traffic adjustment such ass alignment and gradient
without any disturbance to formation.
5) To prevent the growth of weed inside the track.

2)

SLEEPER: Following different types off sleepers are uses in railway construction

a) Wooden sleepers.
b) Steel sleepers.
c) Cast iron sleepers.
d) RCC sleepers.
e) Wooden sleepers: - Prestressed concrete sleeper.
a)

Wooden sleepers:These sleepers satisfy all the requirement and are only suitable for track

circuiting. In India ass the climate changes from place to place, it difficult to choose best
wood for sleepering. The life of the wooden sleeper depend on the quality of timber used
and its ability to were wood for sleepiring purpose, but due to its heavy cost it is used
only in girder grider for sleepering. Sal wood is harder and strong than teak wood as well
as cheaper in cost. But now a days, the use of wooden sleeper is avoided.
b)

Steel sleeper:These consist of steel through made out of about 6mm thick steel sheets with its

both ends bent down to check thee running out of ballast. The main disadvantage of steel
sleeper is that they get rushed very quickly and sometime get cracked or even broken and
cause much difficulties.

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Self Stabilising Track

c)

Cast iron sleeper: -

These are generally of following types.

i.

Pot sleepers.

ii.

Plate sleepers.

iii.

Box sleepers.

iv.

C. S. T. 9 sleeper.

v.

Duplex sleepers.

The main disadvantage of cast iron sleepers is that they are liable to crack and
break but broken pots have a salvage value and be melted further for casting new one.
d)

RCC sleepers: There are two types of RCC sleepers. First type is like a wooden sleeper, i.e. one-

piece sleepers. Second type, two RCC slab are joining together by mean of tie bar
generally of a T-section. To avoid disintegration off concrete, sleeper under heavy traffic,
metal-bearing plates are provided at the rail seat with a shock-absorbing pad. The
concrete sleepers are not affected by natural decay or insects etc. hence they have long
life of 40 to 60 years under normal condition. They are not affected by chemical action of
the cinder, ballast and soil salt.
Concrete sleepers have some disadvantages
Their heavy weight (2.5to3 times than wooden sleepers) possesses great difficulty
in transportation, laying and handling. Pads and plugs are require for fixing the spikes.
During packing, the bottom edge are damage. If concrete sleeper is cracked or broken,
the scrap value is almost nil.
e)

Prestressed concrete sleeper:These sleepers are costly initially, but are very cheap in the long run.
There are two types of prestressed concrete sleepers.
i.

Pre-tensioned concrete sleepers.

ii.

Post tensioned sleepers.

Most of the disadvantages of concrete sleepers, but even then these have so many
disadvantages. in case of train derailment, these are totally damage and require
replacement. Special ballast bed is require for the laying of these sleepers. Due to their
heavy cost, these are uneconomical. They require costly maintains. The design and
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Self Stabilising Track

manufacturing of these sleepers is difficult and even then the require strength is not
developed in these sleepers. They also require special rail fastening.
Function of sleepers: i.

Sleeper holds the rail in proper gauge, exact on straight track and loose at
curve as per standard.

ii.

Sleeper transfers the load of the train from rail to the ballast or girder of the
bridge.

iii. Sleeper provides stability to the track.

iv. Sleeper acts ass the elastic medium between the rail and ballast.
v.

Sleepers hold the rail in proper level or transverse tilt on curve.

vi. Sleeper also hold the each rail in 1in 20 tilt i.e. the slop of the wheel cone.

3)

RAIL: Originally dumb-belt or double headed section were designed in which both thee

heads were provided with the same cross section. The main object in designing such a
section was that when the one top section his worn out due to moving wheel, it could be
inverted and reuse with lower section at the top. But such rail were practically used, it
was found that due to the impact of wheel, the lower tread become dented and could not
be used for the smooth riding, therefore the rail section was originally designed and only
require quantity of steel to keep the stresses within the safe limit was kept in bottom and
more metal was used in the Bull headed rails and are held in position by mean of chairs
fixed to sleepers. These rails are made up of 9.144m to 18.288m in length and 29.77 to
49.62 Kg/m in weight.
At the same time, when bull a headed rail was designed, vignole inverted other
type off rail known as flat footed rails section. Vignoles made idea of developing such a
rail was that this rail can be used directly on sleeper with small fastening. In India both
bull headed and flat footed rails are used which are rolled to B.S. section. When the flat
footed rails are directly laid on wooden sleepers, it is found that heavy rail load sunk the
rail in the sleeper, therefore to avoid this sinking and for distributing the load on wider

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Self Stabilising Track

area, steel bearing plates are used between sleeper and rail. The main advantage of flat
footed rail is its lateral rigidity due to which it is mostly used in Indian Railway.

Functions: i. For heavy and concentrated moving load of train, rail provides hard, smooth and even
surface with lowest fraction between rail and steel wheel.
ii. Rail transfer the load of the train form the wheel to the sleeper, ballast and the
formation within the safe limit.
iii. Rails have to bear the thermal stress due to change in temperature as well as breaking
force caused while stooping the train.
iv. Rails have to bear the vertical and lateral forces of the train moving at high speed.
v. Rail are made of such high carbon steel which has minimum were even in worst
possible condition of atmosphere and fraction between the rail and the wheel.

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Self Stabilising Track

Objects: Following are the main objects of railway

1) To connect together existing line or opening up a new communication for treat
between two centers for through traffic.
2) To serve political or military purpose e.g. the Khyber Pass Railway of world was two.
3) To shorten or improve the existing through rout e.g. Miraj-Panddaarpur railway.
4) To relive connect of traffic by opening up an alternative route between two terminal
e.g. between San-Francisco and New-York, there are number of railways routs.
5) To spread feeder lines to open up undeveloped track, of the network of railway in
Saurashtra.
6) To relive over crowing of passengers traffic in suburban areas of capital cities for
which in addition to one or more surface railway, underground railway and some
times elevated railway are provided.

Govt. Poly. Amravati.

Self Stabilising Track

SELF STABILIZING TRACK

The railway use rails fitted on sleepers with double elastic fastening and concrete
sleepers, ballast providing necessary self-draining load distributing, as well ass geometry
correction medium. The ballast under the action of moving trains get subjected to
disturbing vibrations and geometry is disturbed as ballast loses its compactness and
yields.

The new construction propose is based on a new concept propose in New theory
for rail-wheel interaction. By suitable control of the inertia of mass of ballast that vibrates
in track, it is possible to make the response of track under running trains to stabilize
rather than be de-stabilizing the track.

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Self Stabilising Track

In the propose track, predetermined quantities of ballast are precompacted and

firmly confirmed, so that the gross mass that vibrates is enhanced to cause inertia
damping of many orders higher than, compared to free unrestrained ballast. Further an
elastic medium in the form a reinforced rubber or polyethylene layer of the order of a few
milli-meters thick, inserted between the sleeper bottom and the top of the confined ballast
block, modified the coefficient of restitution and also helps in controlling the vibration
profile below the sleeper.
The over all effect is to reduce frequency and amplitude of vibrations being
transmitted below the sleeper because of moving train-with ballast not getting disturbed,
and formation protected from destabilizing vibrations. The confined ballast in performed
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Self Stabilising Track

wire mesh cages of specific shapes arranged in a particular manner, combine with each
other to provide elastic vertical support to the sleeper ass well ass improved lateral
resistance to the track.

There are three types of performed cages, which hold ballast:

1) Shaped with a rectangular long caged ballast element or T shaped ones.
2) Flat squarish caged ballast element for support under sleeper and distribute load on
formation.
3) Additional vibriable thickness element comprising off a bottom plate of metal or fiber
reinforced material below the sandwiched elastic element which allows insertion
of fine quarry chips of measured amount to correct track geometry within 5 to
110mm.
The ballast duty packed firmly in the cage and subjected to preloading of defined
value will be the building element in the shaped shown, to support the sleeper and rail in
track, replacing the conventionally used loose ballast, which is compacted in situ by tietamping machines working on tracks.
By using these modular ballast filled cages, we also achieve saving of material in
ballast used for conventional track, which could of the order of 70%, because in the
middle one-third of sleeper no ballast will be needed, in additional to eliminating of
shoulder ballast.
The lateral strength of track also considerably augmented because of positive
interlocking of the modular cages containing well compacted ballast coupled with the Lshaped/T-shaped cages firmly butting against the ends, provide many orders more
resistance as compared to loose ballast, enhance the lateral as well as longitudinal
resistance. This improves the safety of track against buckling under thermal loads.
Particularly the trapezoidal modular element of cage with shorter side below and the
larger side up, resisting on the sleepers longitudinal sides, expert positive vertical load to
add to resistance of the track to lift, which is essential to prevent buckling.
The cage may be made of galvanized wires of sufficient strength to hold the
ballast with edges reinforced with thicker diameter steel roads to keep the desire shape
for the module.

Govt. Poly. Amravati.

Self Stabilising Track

Govt. Poly. Amravati.

Self Stabilising Track

BASIC SPECIFICATION
The sleeper vibrating at 150 to 250 Hz pound the ballast bed in normal
conventional track. As the mass of ballast now is materially modified into modules of
80Kg+, Response frequency 0.39Hz is achieve at the foundation level.

So instead of starting with having to respond to 100Hz plus frequency at

sleeper/ballast interface the first module of caged ballast will damp the frequency down
to less than 0.5 Hz by the time it reaches the ballast modulus over which it is resting.
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Self Stabilising Track

ADVANTAGES
1) The weight of each modular element is kept about 65 to 80 Kg each and the inertia of
this mass will be enough to damp the vibrations, and every train which passes on
track will only be stabilizing rather than de-stabilize the track.
2) Owing to the two above conditions, once the track is given proper geometry in line
and level, running of trains will not disturb the track but it gets self-stabilized
requiring no major maintenance of the nature required for loss ballast supported
conventional track.
3) Both safety and economy to society are thus achieved, when better geometry to track
is maintained without getting disturbed under traffic, without getting disturbed
under traffic, without require the heavy track tamping machines.
4) The modular steel cages holding ballast precomppacted, will also provide better
stability to track in the lateral direction as well ass in thee vertical direction,
because of positive interlocking between the modules having the wire meshes, ass
compared to losses ballast, and so track safety against buckling also tremendously
improves.
5) If ballast gets dirty with dust and drainage is likely to be affected, a simple industrial
grade portable vacuum cleaner will be suck out and clean the ballast, because the
cage will prevent ballast being sucked out, allowing only the dust to be removed.
6) In case of accident restoring of track, the modular cages help in very quick
construction of track and opening of track for traffic.
7) The ballast which is now expensive, will be saved to the extent of 70% in initial
construction of track, as the middle one third of track will not require ballast as
well ass the shoulders also will require less ballast. This also has further savings
that annual recoupment for crushed and damaged ballast, of the order of 5%
recurring will also be drastically reduced.
8) Because of the flexible construction using the modular cages, allowing for geometry
correction for track, the self stabilizing track ass proposed, will be adaptable on
all types of formations with considerable recurring saving in maintenance costs
and improve safety.
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Self Stabilising Track

9) For maintenance of SS track, the blocks stopping train movement, will be not
required, thus releasing almost 10% of the line capacity earlier being lost in track
maintenance.

Govt. Poly. Amravati.

Self Stabilising Track

CONCLUSION
From the above discussion, it is cleared that the new technique which is
developed by Konkan Railway, is realy very effective. It not only serves the
economy problem but also saving the ballast value and it prevents the serious
accident problems, which is worst in railway transportation. The new trend in the
railway construction is realy praiseworthy.

Govt. Poly. Amravati.

Self Stabilising Track

REFERENCES
1.

Konkan railway corporation LTD: patented application, 900/MOM/2001 Dt.

118/09/2001.

2.

Railway construction: N. Shadrin, S.Ulrikh, L.Perelman, A. Reoryeeev, I.Smagin,

G.Leib.

3.

Railway track: K. F. Antia.

4.

Railroad construction: W.L.Waable.

5.

Permanent way material: W. H. Cole.

6.

a text book of railway engineering:R. S. Deshpande.

7.

Railway: T. D. Ahuja, and G.S. Birdi.

8.

Indian railway standard track management:- Indian railway board.

9.

Indian Govt. railway coad for the engineering department.

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Self Stabilising Track

CONTENTS
S. No.

Description

Pg. No.

1.

Abstract

2.

Introduction

3.

History of Railway

4.

Development of railways in India

5.

Component of permanent way

6.

Self Stabilizing Track

7.

Basic specification

15

8.

Advantages

16

9.

Conclusion

18

10.

References

19

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11

Self Stabilising Track

CONTENT
1. Introduction
2. History of Railway.
3. Development of Railway in India.
4. Components of permanent way.
A A. Ballast
B B. Sleepers
I

Wooden sleepers

II

Steel sleepers

III

Cast iron sleepers

IV

RCC sleepers

Prestressed concrete sleepers

C. Rails
5. Self Stabilizing Track
6. Basic specification
7. Advantages
8. Conclusion
9. Reference

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